Disney+ to Carry Channel 4 Main Channel and On-Demand Shows in U.K. and Ireland From Early 2027

The Walt Disney Co. and U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 have announced what they call a "landmark agreement" and a "first-of-its-kind collaboration." Starting in early 2027, Channel 4's main broadcast channel and on-demand content will be available on Disney+ in the U.K. and Ireland. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Subscribers will be able to watch Channel 4's linear HD channel, along with hundreds of hours of scripted and unscripted programming from its on-demand catalogue, at no extra cost. Titles named include Big Mood, Tip Toe and 24 Hours in A&E. Channel 4 content will sit in its own branded section of Disney+, using the same navigation and user experience as the rest of the service.

Several Channel 4 shows each year will arrive on Disney+ "day and date," meaning at the same time as their release on Channel 4. The partners named the drama Maya, starring Bella Ramsey, the comedy Stepping Up, featuring Denise Welch, and the reality format Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. Further details on launch timing and available content will be announced later.

The deal follows other agreements between Disney+ and major European broadcasters. These include ITV in the U.K., later extended to Hulu, as well as Italy's RAI, ARD and ZDF in Germany, SIC in Portugal, and RTVE and Atresmedia in Spain. Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro has said he wants Disney+ to become the company's "digital centerpiece."

Karl Holmes, general manager for Disney+ EMEA, told The Hollywood Reporter that the Channel 4 arrangement is "our most ambitious yet." He said local content will drive the next wave of growth, noting that subscribers in the region are up 30 percent over the last 18 months and that engagement is substantially higher, partly because of more local originals and free-to-air partner shows. He also said Channel 4's commissioning strategy is "distinctive and buzzy," while commissioning power stays with the broadcaster.

Holmes pointed to Disney+'s younger audience as part of the appeal. BARB data shows 3 percent of Channel 4 viewing hours come from people aged 4 to 15, versus 17 percent on Disney+. For ages 16 to 34 the figures are 10 percent and 39 percent, and for ages 35 to 44 they are 10 percent and 21 percent. Viewers aged 45 to 54 account for 15 percent of Channel 4 hours and 12 percent on Disney+, while those 55 and older make up 63 percent and 11 percent respectively.

Channel 4 CEO Priya Dogra said the deal reflects changing viewing habits. "As audience habits evolve and people go to multiple places to find content, Channel 4 needs to transform to meet those evolving habits," she said. She added that preserving Channel 4 branding alongside the programming was important to the broadcaster. The move fits Channel 4's "owning our future" strategy, which is digital-first and partnership-centered.

Dogra stressed that Channel 4's own channel and streaming service remain central and will still be "home of the vast majority of Channel 4 programming." Adam Smith, chairman of direct-to-consumer at Disney Entertainment, called local broadcaster partnerships "very important" to building content libraries around the world.

Both executives see room to grow the relationship. Dogra noted that Channel 4 already licenses a lot of Disney programming, from The Simpsons to This Is Us and films such as The Avengers, and said further discussions would continue. Holmes said Disney is "all in" and would like the partnership to evolve into an even broader one.